Cathedral Street

274 Cathedral Street, Glasgow.

The Grafton Bar. 1960s.

The Grafton Bar was named after the street on the corner of the pub, Grafton Street.

The first licensee to hold a certificate was a publican called Francis Anthony Mulholland Dailly, he acquired the pub in October 1909. He continued to serve the locals here until after the First World War.

During the depression on the 1930s Mrs C McGarrigle and Mr J McGarrigle were running the pub. They soon gave up the business and sold it to William Cran Forbes a wine and spirit merchant, in 1937.

Many of the drinkers will still remember James McGuire, the licensee who ran the pub in the 1960s. Like many of the old houses and businesses in Cathedral Street the pub too was demolished in 1969 in the City Council’s redevelopment scheme in the 1960s and 70s.

However Mr. McGuire reopened a new Grafton lounge bar in Sandyford Place a few years later.

During the WW1 there were another 6 public houses on Cathedral Street, which included McLaren’s at number 137, Pragnell’s at 214-16, McArthur’s at 339-41, Stewart’s at 486, Lang’s at 481-83 and the Cosy Den at 496 Cathedral Street at the corner of Buchanan Street.

Cathedral Street in 1960s. The Grafton can be seen on the left hand side of the image.

Other Cathedral Street Pubs…

481-483 Cathedral Street, Glasgow.

This old pub was situated on Cathedral Street near Buchanan Street.

There has been a public house on this site since 1851. The first licensee was William Robertson who became a popular wine & spirit merchant in the area. Mr Robertson also owned pubs at 7-9 West Nile Street, 299 Argyle Street. He lived with his family first at nearby Stirling’s Road before moving to better accommodation in Sauchiehall Street.

William Robertson continued to serve the locals in Townhead until 1862. The next licensee was Robert Robin junior. The Robin family continued in this public house until 1875. George Robin took over the pub in 1868 until his death in 1870, his wife then took over until 1874.

Alexander Graham traded from this very old pub in the 1880s, he also owned pubs in Argyle Street, Oxford Street and Crown Street. Mr Graham was president of the Scottish Wine and Spirit Merchants and Beer Trades Benevolent Institution in 1891, he was regarded as a straightforward type of Scotsman, bluff in his manner, but underneath the exterior as true as steel and as solid as gold. He was born in Largs and came to Glasgow in 1865, he acquired licence’s for premises in Oxford Street and Crown Street before venturing out into the city centre.

To read more on Mr Graham click here Jack Diamonds.

At the beginning of the 1900 John McAulay was running the business as one of the trustees of Alexander Graham, which included both premises at Cathedral Street and Argyle Street. In 1910 William Wingate was running the pubs which included his own premises at 142 Houston Street which sat at the corner of Ardgowan Street.

After the first World War, Thomas Waugh Lang took control of the business and traded under the title of Alexander Graham. Before the second World War Thomas Waugh Lang, of Lang Brothers Ltd, was licensee. The Lang Brothers consisted of, Alexander Lang, William G Lang, Thomas Lang, Alex & William Galloway Lang, having premises at 128-30 Broomielaw. Hugh Lang 1803 in Eaglesham, Hugh and his sons founded a Company Lang Bros. In 1876 they bought Glengoyne distillery.

Robert Stuart Lang was the last licesee of Graham’s Bar.

Alexander Graham. 1891.

Licence Holders.

1902 John McAulay (for Alexander Graham’s trustees).

1899 Alexander Graham.

1885 Andrew McDonald.

1878 John shaw.

1874 Mrs George Robin.

1870 George Robin jun.

1868 Robert Robin jun.

1862 William Robertson.